How Old Should A Kitten Be To Get Catnip
Not all felines respond to catnip.
How old should a kitten be to get catnip. That being said kittens don t develop the ability to react to catnip until they are around 3 6 months of age. The herb s influence is genetic so not all cats respond to it according to the humane society of the united states. It is generally considered safe to use catnip for kittens but it is important to note that some cats may not prove very interested in the herb especially kittens that are younger than two to three months old and some elderly cats. The catnip reaction is thought to be exhibited due to an inherited characteristic related to an autosomal dominant gene and the effect isn t just exhibited in domestic cats it s also.
The study noted that kittens under 8 weeks exhibited no reaction to catnip and according to todd when kittens are given it the catnip often produces a distinct avoidance response in young kittens which is gradually replaced by indifference in non responders and by heightened curiosity in responders. This is generally safe as catnip isn t toxic. October 5th 2010 at 11 00 pm. Angel at 5 weeks didn t go near the catnip sock until she was 7 weeks old.
Cats get possessive of their catnip. If he s still young give it some time. Maybe getting the kitten her own catnip pad would keep her occupied. And since you re likely thinking of giving your kitten catnip to see him or her react hyper actively to it giving a kitten who s younger than 6 months of age may be a little useless considering this fact.
It differs with all kittens. Catnip infused products attract cats interest and can take playtime to the next level. Newborn kittens aren t usually responsive to catnip at all until they are about 3 months of age. October 5th 2010 at 10 44 pm.
Although catnip is totally harmless and safe around kittens both to smell and to eat it isn t necessarily effective. Furthermore kittens less than 8 weeks old and senior cats tend not to respond as much or at all to catnip. These hard wired preferences aren t immediately apparent though since kittens under the age of 3 months don t react to catnip at all. Test your cat s attraction to catnip before going out of your way to buy catnip infused products.
The reaction to a catnip can vary from kitten to kitten. Among those cats who do like catnip you ll find two basic kinds of reactions. Cat nip will. First they may question whether a kitten s system will prove more.
Some cats become like a lazy drunk while others get a wired up crazy. Often people question whether it is safe to use catnip for kittens for a couple of reasons. If you give your cat catnip quite regularly your cat may develop an immunity to its effects. He may wind up falling in love with his catnip toys when he gets a little older but don t be discouraged if he never seems to care.